Meet Our Team
"My clients tell me the most important thing I do is counsel and coach them to stay committed to their plan. That’s harder than it sounds, given life’s twists and turns.”
Rebecca Kennell, CFP®, MBA
Owner | Financial Advisor
Rebecca Kennell is an independent CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, an Investment Adviser Representative of Commonwealth Financial Network®, and a respected financial advisor working in the Phoenix area.
Small business is in Rebecca’s DNA. She co-founded Custom Financial Design in 2004, but her business roots go back to her early childhood and her family’s livelihood. For more than 75 years and 4 generations, Rebecca’s family has run a book printing/manufacturing company, producing trade, educational, medical, religious, university, and commercial publications. Rebecca grew up hearing discussions about quarterly tax payments due; the difficulties in hiring, training, and keeping good employees; changes in equipment and technology; grooming the next generation; and everything else that goes into running a family business. As a teen, Rebecca worked in the bindery and on the manufacturing line, and she saw firsthand how organizing things properly is crucial to success.
Like most business owners, Rebecca’s family has experienced many ups and downs, some related to the economy at large and some related to the individual decisions made. It’s part of the reason why she works closely with business owners to put a financial plan in place, so they are prepared no matter what happens next. Rebecca’s business education and financial training, plus her personal insights, add real value to small business owners looking for practical solutions to their pressing business needs.
This background also makes Rebecca well-suited to be a family’s CFO, because managing a family’s entire financial plan is much like running a business. The issues of income versus. expenses, taxes, planning for the future, grooming the next generation, and running into problems (and finding solutions!) are very similar, and Rebecca loves when she can assist busy clients like this.
Rebecca is in tune with her clients' needs. Rebecca has received several degrees from Arizona State University, including a bachelor's in music and a master's in music education. She also received her master’s in business administration from the University of Phoenix, holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 63, and 66 securities registrations, life/health insurance licenses, and also holds a Managed Futures Registration through Commonwealth.
In her spare time, Rebecca keeps her love of music alive by playing trumpet in the Latin band Carmela y Más and Mariachi Pasión. She has a great love for jazz and Latin music. Her music collection is filled with Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Marc Anthony, and Mariachi Camperos. An avid reader, Rebecca enjoys mystery novels by authors such as Sue Grafton and Tony Hillerman and historical novels and non-fiction, especially by Jared Diamond. She also enjoys hiking the trails of our local South Mountain preserve with her two schnauzers, Bella and Coco.
Miguel (Michael) Duarte
Financial Associate
Miguel (Michael) Duarte is a graduate of Arizona State University. Miguel holds a BS in biological sciences and a minor in music. He has taken part in research for various programs and symposiums, working alongside professionals from Arizona State University, Johns Hopkins University, North Carolina State, University of Wyoming, and a researcher from The Smithsonian. He has a skilled ability in evaluating and analyzing data, which allows him to transfer these talents into the financial planning field. Miguel also has the ability to make evidence-based decisions and intends to grow in the financial planning world. Miguel holds FINRA: SIE, Series 6, 7, and 66 registrations.
In his free time, Miguel spends time performing Mariachi music across the valley to maintain internal/external satisfaction and captivate audiences with a fun and energetic experience. He volunteers as an instructor at the Annual University of San Diego (USD) Mariachi Conference in hopes of enriching others about Mexican traditions and culture. He also enjoys walking his toy poodle, Canelo, around his neighborhood.
Miguel (Michael) will be the first point of contact for those calling into our office or arriving for a visit.